Clothing, materials and gear.

The right clothing and shoes and some extra equipment might help you travel with more comfort. The rule of thumb: quick-drying, long, light-coloured.

An important principle

For a walk in the forest

Even a gentle walk leads through undergrowth, over roots and damp ground. What you should wear:

• Long, loose-fitting synthetic trousers. These protect against ticks, ants and, above all, cutting grasses.
• A light synthetic shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Bare forearms are not normally a problem; with a rolled-up shirt, however, you keep the option of protecting yourself a little more after all — here, too, against cutting grasses.
• Sturdy, closed shoes with a good tread. Mid-height trainers are good and light, as they already protect the sides of your ankles (for example HAIX Black Eagle Athletic). If you want to go a step further in terms of safety, you can opt for shoes such as the HAIX Tactic GTX — these are what we prefer for forest tours. Any kind of ultralight or even open footwear carries the risk of insects crawling inside, or of your foot not staying in the shoe under strain and slipping out, with all the consequences that entails. The locals wear flip-flops or sometimes no shoes at all — but that cannot be taken as a benchmark, because in this respect they are already so attuned to Mother Nature that “barefoot” or “flip-flops” is the ideal compromise for them.
• We also occasionally use gaiters to protect the shins. They offer good protection against a snakebite — very rare, but it cannot be ruled out. Broken, pointed sticks on the ground pointing towards your shins are also deflected by gaiters; injuries are thus either avoided entirely or greatly reduced. Here, too, you have to choose between safety and comfort: gaiters heat the body up further, you sweat more and need more water. In return, you may avoid injuries.
• Cotton socks are preferable to synthetic socks. They give a better grip inside the shoe; synthetic socks tend to slip.
• Bringing a peaked cap or other headgear is a must. You can find yourself standing in the glaring sun at any time, especially on boat trips.
• A shemagh is extremely useful. It serves countless purposes — which is why you see it in one form or another in so many action and adventure films: as a towel, as sun protection, as a windbreak, as a scarf, as headgear, as a bandage, as a blanket, as a pillow and much more. A shemagh dries quickly because it is very thin.

Experienced travellers bring two separate sets of clothing: one for the forest — which is allowed to get wet and dirty — and one for camp, which stays dry. Nothing lifts the mood in the evening more than dry clothes.

For the boat and the village

• Light, short clothing, swimwear, a thin quick-drying towel
• Sandals or water shoes — hardly anyone wears sturdy shoes in the village
• A light rain jacket or a poncho
• Something long-sleeved for dusk, when the mosquitoes become active
• A sun hat with a brim — on the water the sun hits you from above and below